


Between a Rock and a Hard Place

by Nattymctatty



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Gen, Hurt Merlin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-26 17:07:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15667566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nattymctatty/pseuds/Nattymctatty
Summary: When Merlin is threatened and mistreated by someone close to him he is hurt and confused but determined to discover the reason for their sudden, unnatural change in behaviour. Arthur, Gwen and the knights become increasingly concerned when Merlin keeps turning up with strange injuries that he tries to hide but what will they do when they find out who is responsible?





	Between a Rock and a Hard Place

**Author's Note:**

> I love a good hurt/comfort story and so when this idea popped into my head I thought I'd give it a go!  
> This is set some time between the end of season 4 and the beginning of season 5.  
> I hope you enjoy it :)

 

The first time that it had happened, Merlin had assumed it was an accident. It had been evening and him and Gaius were in their quarters, grinding herbs and replenishing various medicines after a particularly nasty sickness bug had vastly depleted Gaius’ stock in the weeks previous. It had been late. Merlin was already exhausted after a day running around after Arthur, and when he had reached across the cluttered workbench to pick up another bundle of Comfrey, his elbow had knocked a handful of the freshly prepared vials of medicine off the table and onto the floor.

“Ah, sorry Gaius!” he had groaned apologetically, but before he’d had a chance to grab a rag and clean it up, Gaius had slammed a huge book down onto the table, crushing Merlin’s hand.

“You stupid boy!” Gaius had reprimanded angrily. “Do you know how much time those medicines took me to prepare?!”

Merlin had snatched his hand back in surprise and had looked at Gaius quizzically as he reached for the rag to clean up the mess. But before he could get it, Gaius had snatched the rag up himself, waving it in Merlin’s face as he continued his admonishment.

“I won’t be needing any more of your help tonight. Get out of my sight before you cause any more damage with your clumsiness! Go on, shoo!”

So, with a small frown and a nod, Merlin had taken himself up the stairs and off to bed.

Despite feeling dog-tired, it had taken him a while to get to sleep and he had lain there, resting his tender hand on his stomach as he thought about what had happened. It had been a shock to be sure; despite his often-grumpy exterior, Gaius was a kind-hearted old soul and extremely fond of his young ward. Although he was known to be sharp with his words on occasion, he had never done anything to physically harm Merlin before, nor anyone else for that matter and so of course Merlin had no reason to believe that this incident had been deliberate either. They had both been tired and the breaking of the vials and the loss of the medicine would have been frustrating to Gaius, especially given that he would likely end up having to stay up even later in order to replace them. At the time Merlin supposed that like himself, Gaius had just been overworked and exhausted and had slammed down the book in irritation, not realising that Merlin’s hand was there on the table.

But by the next day, after the second incident had occurred, he really couldn’t be sure any more...

 

Xxxxxxxx0xxxxxxxX

 

Merlin woke up early the next day, hoping to prepare some more of the herbs needed to make the medicines, before he had to attend to Arthur. His hand was still a little sore and there was a slight darkening of the skin where his fingers had begun to bruise but all in all, it was a minor injury that wasn’t likely to affect his duties that day. He felt guilty that he’d caused extra work for his already overburdened mentor and he wanted to make it up to him, but he’d only just got the water boiling and had barely begun on the herbs when Gaius awoke and stormed straight over to the workbench looking even angrier than the night before.

“What on earth are you doing boy?” he demanded, continuing his rant before Merlin had a chance to reply.

“Did I not make myself clear last night? I have no use for you and your ineptitude! Go and inconvenience somebody else!”

His face was stern, and his eyebrow raised menacingly in a look that would probably halt the King himself in his tracks, but Merlin, ever the diplomat was unperturbed.

“I’m sorry Gaius.” he said ruefully, reaching out his hand to pat Gaius’ arm. He cared about the old man deeply and it pained him to see the usually calm physician so distressed. “I know you’ve been under a lot of pressure these past few weeks…I just want to help.”

“Hmmph!” Gaius snorted, his legendary eyebrow raising up a notch further. “How about I help you, hmm?”

Quick as a flash, Gaius scooped up a ladle full of boiling water from the pot on the bench and threw it over Merlin’s already bruised hand. The boiling water hissed as it made contact with Merlin’s flesh and he yelped out in pain as he took an involuntary step back from Gaius.

 “What…? Why did you do that?” he stuttered, surprised and utterly confused with Gaius’ behaviour. But Gaius was clearly not in the mood for a heart to heart. He scooped up another ladle full of boiling water and took a step towards Merlin.

“Has that helped to make things clearer for you? I don’t want your help. Now get out!”

He didn’t need to be told twice. With one last hurt glance at the man he thought of as a father, Merlin cradled his throbbing hand to his chest and walked out of their chambers.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I'd love to hear what you think so far :)


End file.
